Hook: The Story Behind

Chapter 1 - James

"Peter," whispered James. "Please, don't leave me like this."

"Leave you? Ha! If anything you're the one leaving me brother!" James watched as his older brother scoffed with hate. "If you want to grow up, fine! Go! Grow up! See just how 'fun' it really is."

Peter turned his back to James, but paused before walking away, "But if you do leave, you're not my brother anymore. Understand?"

"I'm not changing my mind," James breathed heavily. "I will grow up. I will prove you wrong."

"Well, if that's how you want it to be. " James watched in horror, as Peter picked up James' left hand and fed it to his pet crocodile, Tick-Tock, and walked away.

"PETER! PLEASE! Plea-" He choked on air as he tried to breathe through his bruised lungs. Blood pooling on the ground around where his hand used to be.

"Please..." James whispered one last time, exhaustion and blood loss forcing him to fall into an endless nightmare.

———

James awoke from his reoccurring dream, the one that always drenches him in sweat. The guilt from leaving his brother-

Peter.

The guilt weighs him down more and more as the sun rises and sets in the sky. And that says something, seeing as it's been six summers since he left.

Sixteen. Damn.

"Cap'n? Cap'n? Where are ya?" A gentle voice echoes the halls as James washes up.

Smee. Probably here to tell me-

"Ah! There ya are!" Smee pokes his head in through the door. "Jus' wanted to wish ya a happy birthday in private before the rest of 'em hound ya, ya know?" He chuckles lightly to himself.

James smiles ever so lightly, something he rarely does, "Thank you, Smee. I mean that. For everything." James looks at his left hand. Well, stub, if you want to get technical.

"Ah well, it was nothin'. You saved me too, ya know? You saved everyone and gave us a place to call home," Smee looks off into the distance, as if remembering a dream. "Well, anyway sir, breakfast is ready. And I reckon if you don't get ready soon enough, all the bacon will be gone," Smee laughs as he walks out of James' private quarters.

James grabs his hook, latches it on, and throws on his jacket, walking out the door, ready to face a new day.

———

It was a stormy morning, the day James finally woke up.

"Oh! You're awake!" He had heard a young boy's voice, one that was unrecognizable. "While you were asleep, I cleaned and bandaged your wounds. I'm not gonna ask you to tell me how it happened, but I found this," he picked up a silver hook off a small table near where he stood, and helped James sit up.

He showed James how to put it on, take it off, and properly clean it.

"Thank you. I am indebted to you." Was all James could say out of gratitude.

"Oh haha! Na, you don't owe me nothin'. Though, I guess a name would be a fine price," the boy added.

"James. Just James," He said.

"James, ey? Name's Sam Smiegel. People 'round here jus' call me Smee."

"Smee," James whispered. "Do you wanna be my friend? I- I know we just met, but I've never had a real friend before."

"I'd love to!" Smee exclaimed, then paused for a few beats. "Maybe one day, when we're older, we'll have a pirate ship, a crew, and lots of friends!"

"A ship?" James figured out that if he was ever going to repay Smee for his kindness, he would become the captain of a pirate ship, with Smee at his side. "Yeah, a ship."

The next few days were spent healing, learning to use his hook, and planning for a future that took six years to complete.

———

James sighed, looking out beyond the horizon. Breathing in the sea air always helped calm him down and get a clear head.

Sometimes if he looked hard enough, James could see his brother flying around in the sky. Though, this time was different. This time, there were four figures flying.

No one has ever been able to fly, other than Peter. No one. So, he thought. Who could they be?

After a minute or so of a failed attempt to comprehend who they were, James decided to put it to the back of his mind. Best to forget and focus on the matters at hand.

"Captain! We're nearing Neptune's lair, you might wanna come down from the crow's nest just in case Athena tries to pull what she did last time!"

Ahhh Starkey, my first mate. Always looking out for me.

"Aye! Be down in a minute!" James shouted down.

Athena and her band of mermaids always seem to think they can lull their way onto my ship. Not this time.

James looks out towards the horizon one last time, before finally making his way up to the bow of the Jolly Roger.

A new day. James sighed inwardly. Another chance.

~~~~
Oki, so this is my first story, and as I said earlier, I will take constructive criticism in the comments or you can message me through the app.  But plz don't hate on my work, or on anyone else's work/comment. It won't be tolerated.
But just know that I love you and if you just want someone to talk to for a min, I'm here 😙✌️